US Forces deployed into Syria, ISIS’ Capital cut-off

US Army Rangers, assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment, prepare for extraction from their objective during Task Force Training on Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., Jan. 30, 2014 (Photo: US Army / Spc. Steven Hitchcock)

ISIS’ “Last Stand”

Donald Trump’s “secret plan” to destroy ISIS has come into the spot light as the U.S. make’s its biggest commitment of ground troops into the Syrian Civil war to date.

A battalion sized force of 500 U.S. Army Rangerssupported by attack helicopters, artillery and armoured vehicles have deployed behind enemy lines into the heart of the self-declared caliphate. During the operation, the U.S. and It’s allies also flew in moderate rebel forces from the Syrian Democratic Forces as a part of the joint operation that seized a strategically placed Dam on the outskirts of the city, effectively cutting off ISIS’ last line of retreat from their final Syrian strong-hold of Raqqa.

A similar fight is expected in Raqqa. Even when the final bastions of the terrorist group eliminated, the fight may be along way from over. Analysts and experts widely believe that the group will live on as an insurgency similar to that seen after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, raising the prospect of a long-term commitment of coalition troops, and instability, for years to come.

The Brief:

Approximately 500 U.S. Army Rangers have deployed into Syria.

The deployment strategically cuts off Raqqa – ISIS’ Syrian base, and capital of its crumbling caliphate.

With Raqqa and their Iraqi capital of Mosul liberated, ISIS’ territory across Syria and Iraq will be eliminated.

With the Syrian Civil War ending, Turkey, the Syrian Government, the Kurds, and the U.S. backed Coalition, are squaring up for the difficult prospect of putting the country back together afterwards.

A U.S. military convoy drives past Yalani, on the outskirts of Northern Syria near Manbij. March 5, image by Getty Images

Endgame?

The troops have seized a key strategic dam near Raqqa – ISIS’ Syrian capital as a part of Operation Inherent Resolve, a 68 nation mission to destroy ISIS. Under the command of the previous administration, this had mostly composed of joint air-strikes on ISIS’ positions in support of “moderate” rebel groups that were trained by the coalition.

Posturing for the next war

The U.S. forces have been pictured with large American flags attached to their armoured vehicles and over their outposts. American troops are,in part, being used as human shields – to discourage Turkish forces as well as Russian backed Syrian government forces from attacking their Kurdish and Syrian Democratic Forces allies.

With the Civil War coming to a close, the challenge now lies in how a post-war Syria will be carved up. The Kurds have fought hard to carve out an autonomous region for themselves in the country’s north-east which Turkey has deployed forces against in bloody clashes to break up what they see as a base for Turkish-Kurdish terrorist groups such as the PKK.

U.S. trained and backed Syrian Democratic Forces will likely demand the fall of Syrian President Bashaar Al-Assad. Russia, which has directly contributed troops, weapons and supplies to prop up the regime, will not accept the loss of its close ally.

Related Coverage:

American Special Forces have been operating throughout Iraq and Syria in support of moderate rebels and the Iraqi government.

“The Elected commander in-chief, both the last administration, and the current administration, I think have a duty to protect the American people and what we stand for from this enemy” – Defense Secretary James Mathis told Congress.

The American public’s stomach for another long-term occupation remains to be seen. Direct action will ultimately place more U.S. lives at greater risk, and the loss of American lives in a war against ISIS will be a challenge for an administration which is under-siege from continuing public-relation blunders.

While their final bastions may fall, the fight against ISIS will be a long one even after the Caliphate crumbles.